


By Design

by Measured



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: F/F, Femslash, Fluff and Angst, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-24
Updated: 2012-06-24
Packaged: 2017-11-08 10:41:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/442332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Measured/pseuds/Measured
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shiki makes designs, and Eri wears them. That's always how it's been. Eri meets Shiki to view the latest design, and things start to change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Design

**Author's Note:**

> fic promptly: The World Ends With You, Shiki/Eri, designing.

Shiki lifted up her latest creation, a skirt approximately the size of a postage stamp which was decorated like a postage stamp to boot. It had this really nice texture and a pattern of roses, with a material which seemed more likely to end up on a throw pillow than a skirt, but it really worked out well. The skirt was her favorite so far, all dusky red hues and dramatic blacks, with a bit of lace at the bottom edge to complete the stamp look. She'd paired it with a black halter top from and some really great brownish red knee-high boots from D+B. She'd even found a pair of dark red metal rose earrings to finish out the ensemble. Match it with a black bag, and it'd be _to die for_.

She'd been texting Eri on and off all day about it, sending pictures because she couldn't keep all her excitement at the newest clothes all in. She was really proud of this skirt, and maybe if Eri wore it, it would catch on and their two-girl fashion team would finally hit their break. The miniskirt would really accent Eri, with her long, perfect legs which were great for all the cute skirts. Eri was built like a model, with natural poise and enough style to give the runway girls a run for their money. No pun intended.

_we should go material shopping tomorrow. i have tons of new ideas after checking the magazines last night. glitter and sequins are in again!_

She toyed with the ladybug cell phone decoration as she waited for a reply. A few seconds later, she heard the _da-ding_ alerting her that she'd gotten another text.

_we should, but don't overwork yourself! you deserve a break!_

Shiki smiled at this. Eri was always worrying about her after she'd come back. Even if she didn't seem to remember how she'd been gone, Eri had changed. Something within her had to remember, and held on more tightly to Shiki because of it.

The feeling filled her up inside, warming her like tea on a winter's day.

_see you in five?_

_in five!_

Shiki reluctantly set her phone aside. Really, it was only five minutes. She had some songs on her mp3 player which were about that lengh. Just the space of one song....it shouldn't feel this long. She flipped to her favorite Morning Musume album, and began to hum along with the bouncy tune. It reminded her of the time last summer when she and Eri had gone into Shibuya and sang kareoke after a lot of shopping, and then hadn't taken the bus back until it was late and their ears were ringing. Neither of them were really good singers—passable, but hardly idols––but they'd had a blast belting out songs together. They'd even done a romantic duet, and Eri had done the boy's part and Shiki the girl's as they sang about endless love and devotion with a sort of song which sounded like something from a romantic scene in a drama. 

Somehow, they'd even managed to make it through without falling into a fit of giggles.

Back then it'd just been them, but it'd all changed now with her dying, and then living again when the Composer rewrote the song, if you will. Eri had really taken to the group, and now both she and Shiki would gang up on Neku and try and get him to model or go shopping. So far, they hadn't much success, but two were better than one, right?

The song was just ending when she felt arms about her waist as she was hugged from behind. She pulled out her earbuds and put the mp3 player on pause, tossing it aside on her flowery bedspread to rest near the dozens of throw pillows she'd made.

"You're three seconds early!" Shiki said.

"Re~ally? I can leave for three seconds if you want," Eri said.

Shiki giggled. _"Eri!"_

Eri had on this brown plaid minidress that was belted at the waist with a newsboy cap, and a pair of summery brown high heel sandals. A big brown tote bag was thrown over her shoulder with a _D+B_ logo on the middle with gold flecked dust making it shimmer in the light.

"Ooh, that skirt looks even better than the pictures," Eri said. She lifted it up to the light and looked it over. This will look _fantastic_."

_Especially on you_ , Shiki thought to herself.

"You should model it."

"W-what?" Shiki said, her voice going up an octave. "I made it for _you_ , I'd look horrible in it, my legs aren't cute at all."

"Ah~hh, you're way too hard on yourself, you know that?" Eri said

"Not hardly," Shiki said.

She had accepted that she was dull and mousy compared to Eri. It seemed pointless to put on pretty clothes when it would just push home the fact that she wasn't glamorous and never would be. She didn't want to be Eri anymore, a lot of the time she even felt okay in her own skin. Trying to be someone else would only leave her hollow in the end, feeling like a liar and a sham.

She could sew and design things. She was trying to be a good friend–a better friend than she was– she had found reasons to actually like herself, but that didn't mean she'd be able to pull off a mini that small.

Eri wrapped her arms about Shiki's waist, and laid her head on Shiki's shoulder. "I think I was too hard on you," Eri said. "You're a great designer, the best, in fact, but that doesn't mean you have to be hidden away at the sewing machine all the time. Sometimes I think of what would've happened if that'd been the last thing I ever said to you. And I just can't take it, it's like a bad dream I can't escape, you know?"

Shiki laid her hand on Eri's arm. She couldn't help but wonder if the Composer had left the cracks there on purpose to remind them of the lives they'd received back. Or maybe, that was just how it was, when you reset time it never quite fit right. A cup broken would never be quite the same, even after you glued it back together. The Composer could put them all back together, but the scars would remain, even on the people who didn't remember.

"Eri..."

"I don't know what's gotten over me lately," Eri said. She pulled back, away, but not before Shiki brushed her hand across her cheek. "Maybe it's nearing that time of the month."

"No...I think—We all get worried about the people we love, that's just natural," Shiki said.

Eri smiled, her lovely face lighting up. 

"I don't want to be on stage if it means having you not on there with me," Eri said.

"It doesn't matter, really—"

"It _does_ ," Eri said. She held her hand out, with only her pinky extended. "Pinky swear on it?"

"I won't look good at all," Shiki said.

"Sure you will. You're cute on your own, you know. Miniskirts might not be your thing, but I bet we could find _something_."

Shiki blushed, and looked down. Back then she used to think that whenever Eri said she was cute, she was being patronizing. But Eri looked so sincere in her desire to hitch Shiki onto the star she was sure to rise on that Shiki believed her.

"Pinky promise," Eri said again.

"Pinky promise," Shiki said, and locked her pinky with Eri's.

_I'll never leave you behind again._


End file.
